Filming: Day 3 (July 19)

These are Sharon’s notes; photos here are by Amy, Sharon, and Nancy (sometimes by Ada taking pictures with Nancy’s iPad, while Nancy was in a scene). Many thanks to Amy, Ada, and Nancy for these great photos!

We started this hot and steamy day off in beautiful Forest Theatre, then moved to beautiful cool Gerrard Hall for the final scene—Pseudolus C, the Fabulous Drag Kings!

Pseudolus Group E

The Pseudolus E group made very creative use of masks and costumes (which sometimes merely hung from sticks), using both Gian Giacomo’s commedia dell’arte masks and the Institute’s full-face mask. Seth played Ballio, using an actual slapstick that Ada contributed. See here for the group’s Reflections on Filming.

The Bacchides group performed three versions: one in sung Latin (!) with masks and tunics; one in English with masks and tunics; one in English without masks. They used the same blocking for each version. You can read their blog here. The videographers’ mike, placed on stage, will not appear in the videos! Watch for Jeanne & Patrick’s dance….

Bacchides Versions 1 and 2

These two performances look identical in photographs; when the videos are available, you’ll know the difference!

The old men threaten the girls. Photo by Amy.

Ada, Daniel, Patrick, Jeanne.

The old men are acting up! Photo by Nancy.

The old men confer; the lovely young girls strike a pose. Photo by Nancy.

Bacchides Version 3

Nicobulus and Philoxenus argue, but those old boys really can’t leave the girls alone. Photo by Amy.

Ada, Daniel, Patrick, Jeanne.

The grand dance of Philoxenus and Bacchis Soror. Photo by Amy.

Patrick and Jeanne brought the house down.

Pseudolus Group E: The Drag Kings

The all-female Pseudolus E group decided on a Drag King performance, and it was a knockout—a perfect way to end filming! All but one of the photos are from Nancy’s iPad, taken by Ada.

Pseudolus boasts—he’s going to get that pimp Ballio! Photo by Nancy’s iPad.

Mimi, Chris W., Erin, Amy, Nancy, Jeanne, and Phoenicium. Note: Chris W., a beautiful and elegant woman in normal life, made a completely convincing man! (To see what she normally looks like, see here. Scroll down to the bottom for Chris as Dorippa.)

The breakout scene: Elizabeth and the rest of the group delineate the problems of the Ballio canticum. They also discuss matters of basic philology (falafel-y?). Photo by Nancy’s iPad.

Mimi, Elizabeth, Chris W., Meredith, Jeanne.

Back in action after the breakout scene. Pseudolus and Calidorus spar while the rest of the cast is frozen. Photo: Nancy’s iPad.